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 F O O D I E F O R T H O U G H T by David Tenzer Our new dining columnist - a lifelong foodie as well as an attorney and principal with Glenn, Feldmann, Darby & Goodlatte, lives with his wife and children in Roanoke. He presents his picks for chefs bringing passion and perfection to our plates and palates. foodie (foo'de) n. Slang. A person who has an ardent or refined
interest in food; a gourmet: "in the culinary fast lane, where
surprises are expected and foodies beg to be thrilled" (Boston Globe). The Roanoke food scene continues to improve. New gourmet markets and
grocers are opening regularly, and with each new venue, consumer
education and awareness of all things related to food increases. As
this process progresses, it should drive the area restauranteurs to
expand their offerings and to challenge both themselves and their
clientele with new and creative cuisine. Best Chef: Restaurant
After working through some initial bumps when it first opened three years ago, Metro has now hit full stride. It is anchored by the yin and yang of Andy Schlosser and Scott Switzer. Schlosser grew up in the restaurant business, starting by shucking oysters at his parents' restaurant when he was eight years old. As important as the home style cooking techniques he learned from his parents, Schlosser also was schooled in the business side of owning a restaurant. He thrived in business classes in college and at one point flipped a coin to decide between careers in business and the culinary arts. After graduating and working in several casual dining restaurants, Schlosser convinced his parents to join him in taking over the operation of the Landing at Smith Mountain Lake in 1998. No one would give him a loan so he used credit cards to finance the new venture, opening it within a month. Success at the Landing allowed Schlosser to begin experimenting with modern cooking styles. He is essentially self taught in fine dining and is consistently honing his craft. He possesses probably the best cooking library in Roanoke. Mention a chef or a technique to him and odds are he has a book on it and has studied it thoroughly. Schlosser is the mad scientist of Metro and loves trying new combinations and cooking technologies. He is currently exploring cooking sous-vide, a highly technical and disciplined method being made popular again by Shea Gallante (at his restaurant Cru in New York). In addition to running the business side of the restaurant and supervising the kitchen most evenings, Schlosser serves as house DJ, in charge of purchasing music and creating the mix tapes used in the restaurant. The cuisine at Metro was elevated to a new level by the arrival of its chef de cuisine Scott Switzer just over a year ago. Classically trained in some of the best kitchens on the East Coast, he is a master at subtlety and a true talent. Switzer has complete responsibility for the lunch menu and along with Schlosser sets the menu for dinner. If you remember when Metro first started offering lunch, the menu was good, but limited. The sushi sampler was probably the most popular item. Now each day Tuesday through Friday the daily specials board lists at least eight small plates of exceptionally flavored and well- prepared cuisine. Since Switzer arrived I have not ordered off the standard lunch menu once. In fact, lunch at Metro is currently better than dinner anywhere else in town. After working in restaurants while attending the University of South Florida, Switzer decided that he wanted a career in the kitchen. As a student at the Culinary Institute of America, he would journey into Manhattan to work for free at the city's leading restaurants including Aureole. Over the years following his graduation from CIA in 1997, Switzer has worked his way up the line in such reputable kitchens as Fords Colony, the Ryland Inn (where he ran the fish line) and the Inn at Perry Cabin where he served as executive sous chef. Those experiences not only served to hone his technique, but helped him decide that he wanted to be in a smaller, more intimate restaurant setting. When the time came to return to Southwestern Virginia, Switzer looked for an opportunity that would allow him to have a family friendly schedule while still continuing to grow as a chef. Metro was the perfect fit. Switzer's style tends towards the more subtle. He layers his flavors exceptionally well, no doubt a result of his time in French kitchens. I find that he excels particularly in seafood dishes and in plate presentation. A recent Asian seared salmon I had for lunch was one of the best fish dishes I have had in Roanoke. Schlosser and Switzer are supported by a very talented line that includes a recent London graduate of Le Cordon Bleu among its members. No doubt there are several future candidates for chef of the year among them. The real challenge for this team is not to rest on its laurels and become formulaic. It is relatively simple for a talented chef to be brilliant in the short term. Maintaining a high level of creativity and execution over the long haul is another matter. So far these guys seem up to it. Best Wait Staff Alison Hall - Metro!
As much as I enjoy the food at Metro, Alison Hall elevates the experience of dining there to another level. A very talented artist in her own right, Hall lives part of each year in the Italian countryside, which has given her a wonderful appreciation of food as a sense of place. She learned long ago that working in restaurants was an excellent way to support her art career and she is very good at it. Beautiful, charming and sophisticated, Hall is the perfect extension of the artistry coming out of Metro's kitchens. However, she also possesses the serious restaurant chops to handle a busy room. Equally comfortable in the dining room or behind the bar, Alison Hall makes everyone feel at ease and welcome. Plus, she can make a mean mojito. 
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